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Outfit yourself from head to toe in gear from the Big Red S |
Words and photos by Stuart Kernaghan
Specialized has made a name for itself by turning out an impressive line of mountain and road bikes for a couple of decades now. And as promised earlier, we will have the '06 line of bikes. But right now, we've got the new Specialized soft goods for body and bike.
Specialized has been making riding gear for many years, especially shoes and tires, but those products often get overshadowed by the bikes. The folks from Morgan Hill, California are serious about their soft goods, though, and have a dedicated team that focuses on nothing but shoes, gloves, tires, helmets, and clothing.
And as Specialized gets more and more into the big hit / freeride scene, the line of freeride clothing and protective gear grows. Here's a sampling of what will be available at your local Specialized dealer in the very near future.
Shoes are nothing new to Specialized, and even high-topped freeride shoes, but the new Buzzsaw shoe is an improvement over what's come before it (the Sawpit, for example). The lace-up high-top offers good ankle protection and support, but it's more than a glorified hiking boot. The Buzzsaw is both SPD- and flat pedal-compatible. |
 Imitation suede goodness plus ankle coverage |
 SPD or flat pedal compatible |
The sole uses Specialized's Umma Gumma soft rubber sole. Those of you who rode 'back in the day' will remember Umma Gumma as a tire compound. UG is softer than most other sole compounds, and is being used on the new XC shoes as well. Softer soles means better grip on flats, and on hike-a-bike sections. |
Moving to another extremity - your hands - the Fortress gloves are back for more abuse. Two separate carbon fiber protectors for your knuckles, two for your thumbs, and one for the outside of your wrist should keep your hands relatively safe. Mesh colour has changed from black to grey for this year. Fit was a little roomy through the palm on the '05 version, but the jury is still out on the '06 version. |
 Keeping your paws safe from rocks and trees || Photo: © Specialized |
Helmets have been a Specialized staple for some time now, but the full-face lids got a serious makeover for 2006.
The two new Deviant helmets - one fiber glass and one carbon fiber - are really well ventilated, offer excellent fit adjustments thanks to the PRO Fit retention system, have removable liners, adjustable visors, and sweet graphics.
The Deviant helmets - black fiber glass and a two-tone carbon fiber. Both have
chromed mouth pieces.
The other notable helmet for aggressive trail riding is the Instinct. It offers more protection for the back of your melon than the standard XC lid. In fact, it looks an awful lot like a helmet from another major manufacturer. But we won't dwell on that. Colour options are black and grey. |
 A matte black Impact lid, to keep the back of your head safe || Photo: © Specialized |
 Kani leg (standing) and arm (lying) pads |
The big hole in Specialized's soft good line-up for freeriders was pads. That problem has been remedied in '06 with the Kani pads. Open-backed arm and leg pads are held in place with wide hook-and-loop closures and a Lycra cuff at the top. Protection comes courtesy of injection-moulded plastic, which is vented, and high-density plastic foam. The pseudo-carbon fiber shell is both stylish and functional, and keeps you safe from peripheral damage and trail debris that likes to poke arms and legs. Articulation was a priority when these pads were developed, and should be comfortable on the ride up and down. So does this mean that Specialized will be making upper-body armour as well? We're all going to have to wait and see. |
Shades may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you say Specialized, but there are some really impressive glasses available for '06 that are worth checking out. There are several mountain bike-specific glasses for the new year, including the Singletrack glasses on the right. |
 Singletrack glasses with a red frame. Very comfy for bigger faces / heads || Photo: © Specialized |
NXT lenses on all Specialized glasses are a claimed 20% lighter than plastic lenses and are virtually shatterproof. The vented design for the Singletrack model cuts down on fogging, and there are awesome frame colours to choose from.
Ah, tires. Big bikes mean big tires, and Specialized continues to offer its own big tires. There are several models of big hit tires for different applications, including the Chunder (near right) and the Enduro (far right). Several of the new tires come with a high thread count - 120 tpi - for a nice supple feel. The Chunder is being labelled a DH tire that's suitable for all conditions, thanks to the dual ply casing and 60 durometer rubber, while the Enduro is more of an all-mountain tire. |
 Chunder rubber |
 Enduro rubber |
There are also new clothing items for freeriders. The shirts are your basic synthetic, wicking-fabric shortsleeve tees. Very low-key, but that's a good thing. More interesting are the new baggy shorts from Specialized. I've tried the Demo, which is a non-lined short with a tough nylon outer shell that will stand up to a beating. There's a rear stretch panel for added comfort and the inner lining resists moisture so the shorts feel more comfortable. And they are quite comfortable. You just have to get past the built-in ugliness of the high-contrast zipper.
Line
drawings of the three new MTB shorts - from left to right: the Demo, the Enduro,
and the Trail
Prices haven't been set in stone for these products, and will vary from country to country, so the best thing to do is go to your local Specialized dealer and ask for the details. You can also check out the Specialized Web site for more comprehensive product info.
Stay tuned for the full story on Specialized's big hit / freeride bikes for '06, coming later this week.
Until then...
